Automatic filling-replenishing loom.



No. 761,629. I PATENTED MAY31,1904.

G. 0. DRAPER.

AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHINGLOUM. I nrmoumn rum) JAN. 25. 1904.

no nonnn. I 2 sHnnTa-s'nnn'r 1.

No. 761,629. PATENTED MAY 31,1904. a. 0. DRAPER.

AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25. 1904. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

15130676227 I 5 aZm/wn UNITED STATES Patented May 31, 1904:

PATE T OFFICE.

GEORGE o'rIS DRAPER, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION; OF MAINE.

AUTOMATIC FILLING-REPLENISHING Loom.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 761,629, dated May 3-1, 1904. Application filed January 25,1904. Serial No.190,424. (N0 model.)

fication, like figures on the drawings representing like parts.

i This invention relates to that type of automatic loom wherein the running shuttleis provided automatically with a fresh supply of filling when by reason of the weaving off the previous supply has been diminished to substantial or complete exhaustion, as the case may be, the change or replenishmentof fill- S ng being efiected when the shuttle is in the ,as yielding or spring jaws having upright notches or depressions In their Inner faces to I receive annular projections or rings on the head of thefilling-carrier. Thereby the latter is securely held in proper position in the 1 shuttle when the projections on the head are seated'in the notches or recesses of the jaws.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the insertion of a fresh filling-carrier in the shuttle causes the ejection or discharge therefrom ofthe spent filling-carrier 0., the one whose supply of filling has been substantially or completely exhausted. The re' serve filling-carriers are sustaine'din alillingfeeder, by preference substantially of the rotatable form shown and described in United States Patent N o. 529,940,dated November 27,

1894, the intermittent advance movement of the feeder causing one after another of the reserve filling-carriers to be presented to a A causes the shuttle to reach such a position that predeterminedv definite position in readiness to be transferred to the shuttle. Such transfer is effected when the shuttle is in the shuttle-box at the end of the lay adjacent the filling-feeder and when the lay by its movement the filling-carrier can be moved from the feeder and presented to the holding means carried by the shuttle. If at the instant the filling-carrier is presentedto the shuttle the latter is so positioned that the notches in its holding-jaws do not coincide-withthe paths of movement of the annular projections on the head of the Incoming filling-carrier, a proper cooperation of the parts cannot be effected unless either the shuttle or the filling-carrier be moved longitudinally. Without such cooperation the filling-carriercannot be held properly in the shuttle, and various highlyobjectionable results are almost certain to follow.

There are a number of important practical reasons why it is better to cause' the shuttle 'to move lntocorrect posltion to receive the filhng-carrier rather than to permit movement particularly is this important when a fresh filling-carrier is inserted, inasmuch as the loom is sub ected to additional strain, and any substantial irregularity tends to stop the apparatus. Furthermore, if the filling-carrier is moved longitudinally in the direction of its tip the ferring device, breaking the yarn or. snarling up the end of the yarn mass. Thiscauses misthreads or failure to'properly thread the fillessary stoppage, and bad places in the cloth being woven. Again, If the filling-carrier be permIttQed'to move it may receive such an im- .petus from improper engagement with the holding means in the shuttle as to bethrown entirely out of position, so that either the head of the filling-carrier is not placed in the holding-jaws at all or it is forced into them between the notches. In either case breakthe second case mentioned an imperfectly-held fillingparrier frequently rises and causes a "ing in the delivery-eye of the shuttle, unnecage of parts is almost-certain to ensue, and in smashviz., abreaking out of a portion of the warp-threads as the shuttle passes through the shedspoilinga piece of cloth and causing a delay of hours to repair the damage.

From the foregoing it will be manifest that practical considerations demand the movement of the shuttle relatively to the fillingcarrier, instead of the converse, whenever upon the presentation of an incoming fillingcarrier to the holding-jaws in the shuttle the notches of the jaws are not in the paths of the projections on the filling-carrier head.

The filling-carrier is at rest in a definite position in the feeder when engaged by the transferring means, and in order to prevent any movement of the filling-carrier relative to such means from the time it leaves the feeder to its impact with the holding-jaws in the shuttle the transferring means must from the first engagement assume a positive control of the filling-carrier and maintain such control continuously until the jaws properly cooperate with and hold the filling-carrier head. Since the fillihg-carrier is thus held from longitudinal movement by the transferring means until it is received by the jaws of the shuttle, and since, furthermore, the shuttle is provided with means which permit the filling-carrier to move the shuttle longitudinally during its transfer into the shuttle, it follows that an improper position of the shuttle to receive the filling-carrier will be corrected by a longitudinal movement of the shuttle at the instant of impact by the filling-carrier.

Heretofore no effective mechanism has been devised to accomplish practically and efficiently such positive control of the filling-carrier throughout the transferring operation, with consequent movement of the shuttle into proper position when required, and in this present invention a novel construction, arrangement, and operation of parts has been invented and devised whereby throughout a transferring operation the filling-carrier is so governed and controlled as to cause the shuttle to assume when necessary a uniform receptive position in the shuttle-box.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

In the specification and'appended claims the term filling-carrier is used to comprehensively include a bobbin, a cop-skewer, or any suitable carrier upon which the supply of filling is spun -orwound in any of the ways well known and of 'common occurrence in the art.

The shuttle employed is technically termed an automatically-selftl1reading shuttle, so constructed and arranged that when a supply of fillingis inserted therein the filling-thread will be automatically threaded into the eye of the shuttleto be delivered therefrom as drawn off from the supply carried by the shuttle as the latter is shot back and forth through the shed. Such shuttles are well known in the art, and hence need no detailed description herein so far as relates to the means for threading the same.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a transverse section of a sufiicient portion of a loom to be understood, taken with particular reference to the automatic filling replenishing mechanism and illustrating the general arrangement and relation of parts with which this invention has to do, the section being taken transversely to the axisfof and between the end plates or disks which substantially constitute the fillingfeeder. Fig. 2 is a view taken from the rear of the loom and looking forward, showing the shuttle partly in section in proper position to receive the filling-carrier which is just about to be inserted therein, such filling-carrier and the tranferrer provided with the novel means for positively controlling the filling-carrier being also shown. Fig. 3 is asimilar view, but with the shuttle beyond proper receiving position and with the filling-carrier just ready to cause the movement of the shuttle into proper position. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective detail of a portion of the transferrer-head to more clearly illustrate the means which prevent endwise or longitudinal movement of a filling-carrier during transfer. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 3 to show more clearly the construction and arrangement of the holding and guiding means in the shuttle, and Fig. 6 is a top or plan view of so much of the shuttle as is illustrated in Fig. 5.

Having reference to Fig. 1, the lay 1, slotted at 2 below one of the shuttle-boxes to permit escape of a filling-carrier when ejected from theshuttle 3, (the latter being constructed and arranged to automatically thread itself when a fresh filling-carrier is inserted therein,) the stand 4, secured to the breast-beam 5 near one end thereof and having a fixed stud 6 to rotatably support the filling-feeder, which overhangs the shuttle-box 7 when the lay is fully forward,

and the filling-feeder consisting, essentially, of

two parallel disks, only one of which, as 8, is herein shown, may be and are in their construction, arrangement, and operation substantially as in Patent No. 529,940, previously referred to. So, also, the fixed horizontal stud 9, forming a fulcrum for the rocking arm or transferrer 10, which extends in between the disks and operates to transfer a filling-carrier 11 from the feeder to the shuttle, the lateral arm 12 rigidly secured to the transferrer and having a downturned notched or bifurcated end 13 to engage the tip of the filling-carrier, and the depending end 14 of the transferrer, having a dog 15 to be engaged by the hunter 16 on the lay to effect the transferring operation at the proper time, may, in general, be substantially as shown and described in said patent.

The intermittent rotative movement of the feeder is herein effected by cooperation of a wheel 19 on the disk 8 of the feeder, the pawlcarrier being mounted on the transferrer 10 and advancing the feeder when the transferrer' returns to normal position, retrogression of the feeder being prevented by a detent-pawl 20. This mechanism has no such particular relation to this present invention, however, as requires further detailed description, it being necessary only to say that when the transferrer 10 operates the pawl 17 is moved to engage a new tooth on the ratchet-wheel, and the advance of the feeder is accomplished by the return of the transferrer, bringing a new filling-carrier into a definite position in readiness to be conveyed to the shuttle when required.

Hereto-fore the head of the transferrer has merely impinged upon the filling-carrier head during transfer without assuming any positive control thereover which would prevent endwise or longitudinal movement of the filling-carrier, and, as has been pointed out, the freedom of movement thus permitted to the filling-carrier has given rise to objectionable results. A somewhat specific description at this point of the filling-carrier and the holding means therefor mounted on the shuttle will make plain hereinafter the radical departure in the construction and function of certain features of the transferring means when operating in combination or correlation with a filling-carrier and a shuttle.

The cylindrical head 21 of the filling-carrier is provided with annular enlargements or projections 22, which in actual practice are rings 7 Figs. 2, 3, 5, and 6.

properly fitting the head, these rings fitting into upright notches or recesses 23 in-the inner faces of yielding or spring jaws 24, mounted in'one end of the opening 25, which extends through the shuttle 3, as clearly shown in When the rings enter and are seated in the notches 23, the jaws properly grasp the filling-carrier and hold it in accurate position in the shuttle, the cooperation of notches and rings preventing any deviation of the filling-carrier from the position shown in Fig. 2, wherein an exhausted filling-carrier is shown, but about to be ejected. If the rings come between the notches, the jaws 24 cannot firmly grasp the filling-carrier, and the latter tends to tip or tilt with damage of some character certain to ensue. Again, if the rings of the incoming filling-carrier properly engage the outgoing one the latter will be ejected cleanlyand promptly; but if by reason of improper positioning of the shuttle such proper engagementcannot take place the outgoing filling-carrier may cause its improper or tardy ejection and a faulty insertion of. the incoming filling-carrier with attendant damage of some character in almost every instance. When the shuttle is not in proper receptive position, it must therefore be moved to bring the rings 22 and notches 23 of the holding-jawsinto proper cooperative relation, as and for the reasons hereinbefore specified. Accordingly the engaging face of the head 26 of the transferrer 10 is concaved, as at 27, Fig. 4, and grooves-28 are formed therein, said grooves being of such shape,

size, and location as to be entered by segmental portions of the rings 22 on the filling-carrier head 21 from the instant of impact of the transferrer-head with the filling-carrier sustained in the feeder until the insertion of the filling-carrier "into proper position in the shuttle. The curvature of the concave portion 27 corresponds to that of the head 21 of the filling-carrier, and it will be manifestthatno endwise or longitudinal movement of the latter can occur while itis in engagement with and controlled by the'transferrer.

"-In order to still further insurethe positive and complete control of the filling-carrier during transfer, the head of the transferrer is provided with a curved lip 29, which projects over and engages the adjacent end of the head 21;

By virtue of the construction described it will be clear that inasmuch as the transferrerhead moves in a fixed path about the stud 9 as a center and inasmuch as the filling-carrier is sustained at rest at a fixed point by the filling-feeder the control exercised by the transferrer over the filling-carrier causes it during transfer to move in a fixed or defined path, and a filling-carrier will always be presented to the shuttle in one and the same position.

When the shuttle enters that shuttle-box in which filling change or replenishment takes place, it' may move too far into the box, so-

proper position to proper position when such incoming filling-carrier is brought into engagement therewith. To thisend the jaws on their inner faces are shaped to present cam-surfaces 30 at the inner end of the series of notches 23, and when one or more of the rings 22 engage and slide over such surfacesthe latter, owingguide 31, located between the bases of the holding-jaws and so arranged that if the outer end of the head 21 of the incoming fillingcarrier strikes it the shuttle is thereby moved longitudinally to bring the notches of the jaws opposite the rings 22 and permit seating of the latter. This inclined guide 31 may be made in any convenient manner, and herein it is shown as part of a bent strip 32 of metal, held in place by the block 33, which supports the jaws.

In Fig. 6 both the guide 31 and the cam-surfaces 30 are shown as ready to cooperate, respectively,with the head 21 and rings 22 thereon to effect the movement of the shuttle into proper position.

The novel construction and arrangement herein before described,and shown in the drawings, insures the uniform positioning of the shuttle in the shuttle-box whenever filling-replenishing occurs, and the incoming fillingcarrier is properly received and held in the shuttle with all the advantages accruing therefrom in the operation of the loom and the character of its product.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An organized loom having a fillingfeeder, and a shuttle provided with means to engage and hold a filling-carrier, combined with means to assume positive control of and transfer a filling-carrier from the feeder to the shuttle and to continuously maintain such control until the filling-carrier is inserted in the holding means in the shuttle, causing the latter to move when necessary into proper receiving position.

2. The combination in an organized loom provided with mechanism to automatically insert a filling-carrier in the running shuttle, of means to positively and continuously control and prevent longitudinal movement of a filling-carrier throughout the transfer thereof to its final position in the shuttle.

3. The combination in an organized loom, of a shuttle having notched holdingjaws,a fillingcarrier having its head provided with annular enlargements to enter the notches of the jaws, and atransferrer provided with means to maintain positive control of the filling-carrier throughout transfer thereof and thereby cause the shuttle, when improperly positioned, to move in the shuttle-box into receptive position with the notches of its jaws in the paths of movement of the annular enlargements on the filling-carrier head.

4. In an organized loom, means to sustain a reserve filling-carrier in a definite position, means to engage and move the filling-carrier in a fixed and constant path from its position of rest into the shuttle, and a shuttle provided. with means to engage and hold the filling-carrier when inserted therein and also to insure the accurate positioning of the shuttle in the shuttle-box to receive the filling-carrier.

5. An organized loom having an intermittingly-movable feeder to support reserve filling-carriers, a running shuttle having notched holding-jaws, a transferrer to transfer a fill in gcarrier from the feeder to the jaws in the shuttle, and provided with means to maintain positive control of the filling-carrier throughout transfer, and means on the shuttle operative by impingement of the lilling-carrier to cause movement of the shuttle into a uniform receiving position in the shuttle-box.

6. The combination, in an organized loom, of a shuttle having notched jaws to hold a filling-carrier, a filling-carrier the head whereof is provided with annular projections to enter such notches, and a transferrer to insert the filling-carrier in the jaws, said transferrer having a face conforming to the shape of and to positively engage the fillingcarrier head, whereby the transferrer maintains positive control and prevents longitudinal movement of the filling-carrier during transfer.

7. The combination in an organized loom of a shuttle having notched jaws to hold a fillingcarrier, a filling-carrier the head whereof is provided with annular projections to enter such notches, and a transferrer havingits 1 ad grooved to receive such enlargements and thereby prevent any longitudinal movement of the filling-carrier during its conveyance by the transferrer into the notched jaws of the shuttle.

8. The combination, in an organized loom provided with automatic iilling-replenishing mechanism, and a shuttle constructed and arranged to hold a filling-carrier, of means to positively transfer to and insert a filling-carrier in the shuttle while preventing longitudinal movement of the filling-carrier.

9. The combination, in an organized loom provided with automatic fillirig-replenishing mechanism, and a shuttle having an opening therethrough and holding-jaws in one end of the opening, of means to transfer a fillingcarrier to the shuttle and maintain positive control of the filling-carrier throughout transfer, whereby the shuttle is caused to move, if out of position, to properly position the jaws to receive the incoming filling-carrier and to enable the latter to engage and properly eject through the opening in the shuttle the filling-carrier then held by the jaws.

10. In an organized loom, a shuttle having notched holding-jaws and an inclined guide, a filling-carrier having annular projections on its head to enter the notches, and transferring means to effect transfer of and also to positively hold the filling-carrier from longitudinal movement during transfer, to thereby cause the shuttle in the shuttle-box to move into proper receptive position when the incoming filling-carrier engages the inclined guide.

11. In an organized loom, a shuttle having notched holding-jaws and an inclined guide, a filling-carrier having annular projections on its head to enter the notches, and a transferrer having its head concaved and grooved to partly embrace the head and prevent endwise movement of the filling carrier during. transfer and thereby cause movement of the shuttle relatively to the incoming fillingecarrier if the latter engages the inclined guide.

12. In an organized loom, a shuttle having spring holding-jaws notched on their inner tween the notches.

13. The combination in an organized loom provided with automatic filling-replenishing mechanism, of a shuttle having notched holding-jaws, a filling-carrier having rings on its head to enter the notches, and means, operative when the shuttle is so far in the shuttle- -box that the notches are out of the path of the rings of an incoming filling-carrier, to hold the filling-carrier and cause the shuttle V Witnesses:

to move back in the shuttle-box into proper po-- sition to receive the filling-carrier.

14. In a shuttle for automatic filling-replenishing looms, holding-jaws notched to receive the rings on the head of a filling-oarrier, and cam-surfaces on the jaws to be engaged by the rings when the shuttle is improperly positioned, to cause movement of the shuttle into proper position.

15. In a shuttle for automatic filling-replenishing looms, holding-jaws notched to receive the rings on the head of a filling-oarrier, cam-surfaces on the jaws, and an inclined guide between the bases of the jaws, said cam-surfaces and guide when engaged by the rings and head of an incoming filling-carrier causing the shuttle to moveand bring the notches in the jaws opposite the rings.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in'the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE oTIs DRAPER.

E. D. BANoRoFT, ERNEST W. WOOD. 

